


Glamour & Reverie

by Zoi no miko (zoi_no_miko)



Series: Glamour & Reverie [10]
Category: Dark City (1998), Mirrors (2008)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Changelings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Explicit Sexual Content, Fae & Fairies, Fauns & Satyrs, Group Sex, M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Pseudo-Incest, Púca | Pooka, Tails
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-12
Updated: 2016-10-20
Packaged: 2018-05-19 22:42:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,629
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5983117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zoi_no_miko/pseuds/Zoi%20no%20miko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And they screwed happily ever after.<br/>Anthology of one-shots.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Parfait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's impossible to embarrass a Sidhe. But John tries anyway.

Larry only realizes what's going on because John tried it on him, once. It still takes him a few minutes to notice the glamour, to realize that the low-level arousal he feels is coming from John and not just his own libido. John's glamour is well known to him by now, especially this particular flavour of "I'm going to molest the hell out of someone".

He turns his attention to John, who is, for all intents and purposes, paying complete attention to his uncle as he sits across the table, conversing with him about the freehold with ease. Every once and awhile he takes a bite from the beautifully layered dark chocolate and cherry parfait that's sitting in front of him. Larry's confused for a moment as to why John is feeling so randy. Then he identifies a new flavour of glamour in the mix, and finally notices Daniel.

As far as anyone is concerned, Lord Murdoch's consort is perfectly composed, both hands resting lightly on the table cloth, quietly and attentively listening to John and his uncle, Duke Richard, converse. Except Larry can see the slightest flush to the tips of his ears, and when the speaker changes it takes Daniel a few seconds to catch up and change his attention accordingly. He also hasn't made a move to touch his parfait, which is white chocolate mousse and berry that Larry _knows_ he adores. Very rather unlike Daniel.

Then Larry remembers the last time Duke Richard had visited the freehold, and suddenly realizes exactly what John is up to. The rumors about Sidhe being impossible to embarrass must be true (he'd always half-wondered if that fact was just a carefully marketed lie to keep the other kith from trying), because he'd only lasted five minutes in Daniel's place. John had casually slid his chair closer to him, adjusting edge the table cloth slightly. Then he'd felt John's tail flick against his knee, slowly swiping back and forth over the top of the his thigh. Then the casual touch had turned most definitely intentional, the tip of it stroking up the inside of his thigh, teasing and rubbing against his cock through his shorts.

For a moment Larry hadn't been quite sure how to react. John hadn't done so much as glance in his direction, and was behaving very much like he was completely unaware of what his tail was doing. Larry had considered his options and decided that he didn't need to do anything - it was just a tease, after all. Something to spank John over when they were in bed together later. Then John had turned to refill his glass, somehow managing to reach under the table with his free hand and quickly and deftly undo Larry's pants as he did, and moments later that fucking tail as wrapped around his half-hard cock, stroking slowly up and down his length, satin-soft and far, far too good.

He hadn't even lasted a minute before he'd had to drop his fork on the ground just so he could push John's tail away and do his pants back up, stammering some completely ridiculous excuse. "My Lord - I think I need to check the - the things for that thing you wanted me to - "

"Oh right, that thing! Of course. Extremely important, I'll come with you. Please excuse me for a few moments, Uncle." Then John had lead the way to the back hall, pulling him into a broom closet Larry was certain hadn't been there before, and Larry had fucked the hell out of him.

It seemed like pretty extreme measures just to avoid after dinner conversation.

And it certainly wasn't working with Daniel.

For a long moment all Larry could do was stare at him, trying to understand how the hell he could appear so bloody calm. From the amount of sex-glamour he could feel, Larry was half hard himself, and Daniel was somehow demurely agreeing with whatever it was Duke Richard had just said.

He felt Ben's fingers on his chin, pushing his open mouth closed, raising an eyebrow in bemused curiosity. "You okay?"

"Yeah, uh - I, uh, just... there's a thing," he replies distractedly, glancing around the banquet table. Thankfully none of Duke Richard's party were of his kith, and May was down the far end of the table with Anna, seemingly unaware of what was going on. He forced himself to give Ben a smile. "I'll tell you later."

He watches Daniel shift slightly in his seat, sitting a little straighter, a hint of tension in his form. Then he reaches for his spoon, picking it up with care and deliberation to finally scoop up a large bite of parfait. He closes his eyes as he places it in his mouth, giving a soft, approving moan, a shiver running through him. If hadn't been for the fact that Larry was watching for it, could _feel_ the surge of glamour as Daniel reaches orgasm, he wouldn't have known at all.

"Good?" John asks, turning to give him a bright smile.

Daniel slowly pulls the spoon from his mouth, letting out a long breath, then opens his eyes and looks back at him calmly. "Absolutely delectable. Would you like to try some?"

Larry has to pick up his glass of wine, taking a sip to try and calm his nerves, then another. As he does he watches Daniel move a heaping spoonful of the mousse towards John's mouth, then casually dump it on the floor. "Oh! Dammit - I'm sorry, darling, now your tail is all creamy - "

The wine goes down the wrong way, and Larry dissolves in a fit of violent coughing, snorting some of it out his nose. It burns. Ben fusses and rubs his back. "You okay?"

"Come with me to change," Larry manages to reply, and as they head from the room he glances back to see John disappear out the other hall, trying his best to keep from laughing. Daniel, on the other hand, takes another bite of his parfait and turns back to Duke Richard.

"So, the new foundling exchange. Perhaps we could trial the first ones in the spring?"

Fucking sidhe, Larry thinks, just as impressed as incredulous. Then he thinks about pulling Ben into bed as soon as he's out of his wine-soaked pants, and feels much better.

~~~


	2. A Midsummer Night's Orgy

They seldom have the opportunity to do this openly. There's just too many factors to consider. First, in the mortal world, Ben and Daniel are still brothers, and many changeling fae still put import in holding to mortal conventions. Then, John is Lord of the Freehold, and has to make some attempt to keep up appearances considering how many of Sidhe in general look down their noses disapprovingly at his kith. The same critics approve of his Sidhe consort, of course, but would not look so kindly if they knew Daniel was doing this on a regular basis. Especially with commoners. Especially when he's oathbound and handfasted.

Nevermind that an Oath of Truehearts would break if one partner was ever truly unfaithful, leave the offending partner visibly marked with a silent black bird on their shoulder for the rest of their lives. Nevermind that the freehold itself, it's well-being beholden to John and Daniel's moods and whims, would grow dark and cold and treacherous if either were to truly betray the other. What they do would still be frowned upon, judged, and cause unnecessary conflict and strife. So they do nothing to acknowledge it in public, nothing to hint at the pleasure they find behind closed doors.

Except for on Midsummer's Eve.

Larry always shines on Midsummer's, when his kith and their revelries reign. This year they've thrown open the grand hall of the freehold for any fae or kinain who wishes to attend, and members of every kith have come resplendent in their chimerical finest. A few beglamoured humans even join the throng, dazzled by everything around them, the glamour of their wonder and dreams painting trails of silver through the room. Larry's wearing next to nothing, just a chimerical loin cloth over his fur, the deep red and gold silk dancing like fire, matching the magical flames that lick from the feather crown that sits at the base of his horns. He draws Daniel out into the throng of dancers, the Sidhe's white and gold silk finery flowing weightless around him like his hair, letting off tiny sparks of light. They trade breathless, yearning kisses and dance what would normally be inappropriately close, embracing and grinding together until they're both breathless, until at times it's not clear where one ends and the other begins except that Daniel's eyes are glazed with pleasure, his fingers digging into Larry's back as they move and rock together to the beat. It would be inappropriate for a night that wasn't Midsummer's, when everyone's caught up in the Satyrs' spell of lust and hedonism, where couples are making out at every turn, drunk from the neverending flow of wine and spirits and completely carefree.

Behind the banquet table that's still piled high with food and drink, Ben and John are in the midst of a rousing game of chimerical darts with a group of other fae. Ben's decorative armor is wrought of imposing silver and marble, but as he takes careful aim with the chimerical dart John's tail still manages to stroke boldly up the inside of his thigh, between the pieces of armor to tease him. Ben jumps with a yell of surprise; his dart hits a painting instead and explodes in a shower of pyrotechnics. He grabs John by the front of his deep blue, lake-like water-silk robe (dress, really, but who's keeping track?) and to escape his beratement John presses a laughing kiss to his mouth, winding his arms up around his neck and molding his lithe body against his consort's strong, troll brother. When he drags Ben off into the small alcove behind his throne and comes out a while later completely disheveled and with the bottom half of skirt looking more like a pond than a lake, no-one beats an eye. Not on Midsummer's.

At Midnight the celebration comes from a head, crates of tiny dragons released into the grand hall to breathe showers of fireworks by the ceiling, drawing the attention of the crowd. If, when the display is finally finished, there's no sign of the Freehold's Lord and his Consort or either of their guards, there's no need to remark. Couples and triads are already drawing off to find their own modern groves to celebrate the night in. And if anyone had seen them leave they'd have seen their lord pulling the troll by his belt, and the Sidhe and the Satyr tangled so close that their steps were almost one.

But then the doors to John's rooms close and lock, and the couples change.

"You completely ruined your dress," Larry chides as he pulls John close, undoing the clasp at the back of his neck. The slick fabric slithers down his chest and off slender hips to puddle on the floor.

"Ben's fault, not mine," John replies, dealing with Larry's loincloth with just as much efficiency and pressing close, his cock already half-hard against the satyr's red-gold fur.

"You were the one begging me to fuck you," Ben retorts, though his attention is completely on his mortal brother in front of him.

Daniel's nimble fingers tug at a handful of clasps on Ben's armor, pulling it aside to clank onto the floor. Then he rises up on his tiptoes, robes swirling behind him as he wraps his arms around Ben's neck and pulls him into a yearning kiss. "And did you give my beautiful whore of a Lord his heart's desire?" he breathes, arching closer as Ben's broad hands slide around his waist.

"One of them," John retorts with a grin. He steps back from Larry, leading the satyr forward with one hand wrapped around his cock. "You're going to have to get naked for the other."

John's bedroom has already adjusted itself in anticipation of his desires - a large, thickly cushioned platform the size of two beds sits in the middle of the room, bedecked with varying shapes of sex wedges, and tables that sit beside it are covered with bottles of lube, dildos and butt plugs - many of them fantastically shaped or ridiculously large. Larry laughs in delight when he sees it all, pulling John into a hungry kiss. "You sure you weren't a satyr in a past life, green eyes?"

"Fuck me and find out," John purrs, running his nails teasingly down his Larry's spine as his tail sneaks between their legs to flick against Larry's balls.

Daniel laughs softly at his lover's shameless demands, then turns his attention back to Ben. He unhooks the gold and pearl clasp at the front of his robes and everything falls away, leaving him nude, his Sidhe body next to perfection. He presses close to Ben again, sighing as his brother's arms enfold him, turning his mouth up for a kiss. "I missed you...."

"Hard to sneak away for this," Ben murmurs against his lips, then kisses him deeper, slow and yearning. His broad hands stroke the pale length of Daniel's back, slide over his hips, cup his pert ass, moaning low and appreciative against his lips as Daniel shivers and arches closer. This is second nature to him, this dance of love with Daniel. They've played it through countless lifetimes, on nearly every continent and with even more identities, everything always different except for each other. This life is the first that they've shared mortal blood, though. For a while that propriety kept them apart, long enough for them to both discover other loves far greater than anything they could have anticipated. But now, with both their lovers to share it, they return to this, to share passion unbridled to celebrate the night.

He lifts Daniel effortlessly, smiling at his gasp of pleasure, carrying him over to the bed and laying him back into the pillows. John and Larry are already rolling on the other side, wrestling playfully like kittens as they trade increasingly heated kisses. He catches his lover's eye and gives him a brief smile before turning his attention back to Daniel. It's a mark of his kith to be impossibly beautiful, but even then Ben can't help but think that Daniel far surpasses all others, his ivory skin flawless, gold blond hair in long, soft spikes, a halo around his face. His rosebud lips are perfectly formed, parting in a moan of pleasure as Ben lays over him, pressing their nude bodies together as he claims his mouth in a kiss. 

He's been thinking about doing this all night - how could he not? Even when he'd been behind John's throne he'd thought of it, as John had ground his ass back onto his cock, gasping encouragements. "Oh fuck, Ben, yes... fuck me with that huge cock, feel so good... fuck me like you wanna fuck him - "

"Hush," Ben growls, nipping at John's neck as he gives a harder thrust. There's far too much of that damn ridiculous water-fabric that keeps slithering between them, so he grabs a dagger out of his boot and slices a huge chunk of it off.

It just makes John more wild, bracing himself against the wall and angling for deeper penetration. "Ahh, God! You know Daniel's tight little ass is going to feel so good around your huge cock, fuck, I can't wait to watch you fuck him - oh !"

"Shut up," he hisses again, pressing close and sealing one hand over John's mouth. Being muzzled only seems to stoke John's passion, his cries muffled and breathless as he rocks with him as much as possible. But the thought's already in Ben's mind, so he lets go and does exactly what he knows his lord wants him to, using him hard and deep and jarring his body with each thrust, murmuring low in his ear. "You want to watch me fuck my brother, you dirty little pooka? You wanna watch your beautiful mate writhe and beg for his big brother's cock until he's just as slutty as you are, don't you? You wanna watch me pound him into the bed and fill that tight little asshole with my come - "

And that's all that it takes to make Lord John Murdoch come so hard that he almost passes out.

Being with Daniel, though, is completely different than being with John. He only indulges John's cravings on very rare occasions like tonight, letting free the kind of wild, dirty hedonistic desires that only Larry has been able to rouse in him before. Daniel is another kind of hedonism, one that involves feasting his eyes on the beauty of his form, inhaling the scent of him like sunshine and joyousness, tasting and teasing his body with his lips and tongue. Being with Daniel is reverent worship, taking his cock in his mouth and swallowing around him to hear Daniel gasp, hips stuttering up against his mouth.

Daniel's fingers curl in his hair, pale thighs trembling as he arches under the stimulation. "Oh God Ben... please, more. Don't make me wait... it's been too long, I can't...."

"Shhh..." he murmurs, kissing and nuzzling the soft skin of his thigh as he reaches for one of the bottles of lube, carefully working two slick fingers into him, groaning at how eagerly Daniel pushes back against them. "Give you whatever you want, love... "

Daniel cries out as his fingers twist inside him, fingers digging into the silk covered cushions under him. "You. You, Ben. Oh God please, more...."

It's hard to be patient when he badly wants to give in to his brother's whimpered plea. But his kith is far bigger than all others, and consequently far more well endowed, so he pours more lube on his fingers and presses three up inside him, stretching him open with a patience he doesn't feel.

"Fuck, Ben - enough, I'm good, please - God, please fuck me, come on - !" Daniel almost sobs with need as he writhes under him, his cock pressed hard against his stomach and leaking precum. He feels a brief wave of guilt at stretching it out this long, making Daniel so incoherently desperate, but he secretly loves it. Daniel's seldom more beautiful than he is now, naked and disheveled, needy and begging, and it's worth denying his aching cock for a few moments longer.

Except tonight Daniel loses patience before he does. He pushes Ben's fingers away, then grabs the bottle of lube and lunges forward to catch Ben's mouth with his own, climbing into his lap as he pulls hard, demanding kisses from his mouth. He pours an ample amount of lube over Ben's cock, then wraps his arms up around his neck, arching to press the head of Ben's cock against his ass and starting to grind down onto it. The tight heat of Daniel's body is just as intoxicating as it was the first time they were together in this life, when they'd been alone but for each other - clinging together for comfort, scared and broken by how close they'd almost come to losing each other, then finally indulging in this taboo. Daniel whimpers against his lips, gasped and shuddering as he slowly eases down onto him, body clenching and fluttering around the girth of Ben's cock.

"Oh fuck yeah that's it - !" John is not so much kneeling on the bed as straddling the corner, leaning heavy on his arms. Larry's pressed against his back, and as he catches Ben's eye he grins and bucks up hard into him, making John cry out breathlessly. He nips at John's shoulder, one hand loosely encircling his cock, and were it not for the sweet bliss of his brother starting to fuck himself on Ben's cock he'd be completely distracted by the [beautiful picture](http://31.media.tumblr.com/ed16146d0d6bf5f7196612240b2152e8/tumblr_nk3kwdtCYJ1srnbjlo2_400.gif) that they make. Instead he strokes his hands over Daniel's hips, clenching his ass cheeks, pulling them further apart and rubbing his fingertips against his ass where it stretches tight around Ben's cock.

"God, Ben!" Daniel's arms tighten around his neck, and he presses a trembling kiss to his mouth as he begins to move on him, each small rock of his hips pulling a whimpering gasp from his throat. He strokes and caresses as much of Daniel's body as he can but lets him move as he will, stealing his soft gasps with kisses as he starts to move a little harder.

"So good," Daniel whimpers, fingers digging into his back. "So good being filled so tight.... being one with you, feeling you...."

"So fucking good," Ben echoes, not even trying to keep the huskiness out of his voice. Daniel's hips buck down helplessly onto him, making them both cry out at the surge of pleasure it brings.

Daniel dots his mouth with kisses as he begins to move harder, adjusting to being filled, sliding farther down Ben's cock with each thrust. "My beautiful protector," he gasps as he does, rolling his hips on him to seek more sensation and crying out as he does. "My Ben, my sweet brother...."

Ben can't help but buck up into him at that, crying out as Daniel does. It's the way he says the words more than the words himself, and Ben forces himself to laugh. "Been listening to your mate, my love?"

Daniel echoes his laugh, closing his eyes and arching his back , fingers digging into his shoulders as he rides his cock. "Perhaps... oh yes... and it's.... God, feels so gloriously dirty..... how can I not want this when your cock feels so good....!"

Daniel's lithe body is easy to lift, not breaking contact as he lays him back onto one of the sex ramps, lifting his hips to the perfect height for Ben to drive deep into him. He drinks in Daniel's trembling cry, hips snapping harder against his ass. "Fuck you so good, sweetheart, often as you like... always, always take care of you...."

"Oh god, Ben!" Daniel's fingers dig into his back, and he can feel the moment his brother's passion crests, tension breaking in a wave of pleasure. His body clenches tight around Ben's cock, and that's all that it takes to pull him over the edge, rocking deep into him, crying out against Daniel's lips as he empties himself inside him in hot spurts.

For a moment it's all his mind can think of, this overwhelming pleasure that's so familiar and yet still new. He lifts his head to claim Daniel's mouth again, slow and tender, feeling Daniel begin to relax and arch closer to him. He can hear John's breathless cry of pleasure, hear him telling Larry to come inside him in far more dirty and inventive words, and the knowledge of his lover's pleasure adds a deep, resounding satisfaction to his pleasure.

Daniel's fingers smooth up to stroke through the short spikes of hair, lips soft on his. "Happy Midsummer's, my darling," he murmurs, and Ben returns his smile.

"This what you wanted?" He asks, nuzzling his cheek, and Daniel nods.

"Mmhmm... perfect."

"And we're only on round one," he hears John add, and Ben can't help but think that his lovers laugh just as beautifully as they do everything else.

~~~~


	3. Chapter 3

Daniel couldn't help but find it a bit flattering how well the library in John's freehold responded to him. It had been surprisingly easy to get everything in order, after which he set about carefully cataloging and archiving each title. Even though there was much glamour imbedded in many mortal publications, magical books were an entirely different story, and more temperamental than their non-magical counterparts. The essence and purpose of their creators mixed with their stories, themes and concepts, influenced more by every person who had owned them, giving each volume and tome a distinct personality. There'd been books in Duke Richard's freeholds that had taken him weeks to access, cajoling, begging, and occasionally straight out threatening. But somehow the vast majority of John's books opened their secrets up to Daniel with little more than a touch and a polite request, seeming to purr under his fingertips.

The Library had been his sole refuge during the Slaugh's takeover, but there was no way to tell what effect their hostilities would have. After his nuptials with John had been appropriately celebrated and the freehold inhabitants safely moved back into its fully restored walls, Daniel rolled up his sleeves, picked up his chimerical assistant, and plunged into the depths of the Library, prepared to have to re-do all of the work he'd completed since his arrival at the freehold.

To his surprise, the books all seemed fine on first glance. If anything, they seemed to be happier, humming softly with glamour as they nestled together on their shelves. Puzzled, Daniel made his way slowly between the stacks, fingers gently brushing the spines, pulling out a tome here and there to leaf through. "I think they're all okay," he said, the words sounding surprised even to his own ears. "I'm certainly not complaining... but I'm not sure how."

Kherion put his bunny paws on the bottom shelf, arching up to sniff at a line of cookbooks. "Perhaps they're happy that you're truly a Lord of the Freehold now," he suggested before hopping on towards the next stack.

Daniel touched the gold band on his finger, smiling at the reminder. Why had he held out for so long? As much as he'd loved John before, his love seemed exponential now, warming and empowering him with glamour.

"Daniel! Was this door here before?"

Stepping around the shelf, Daniel found himself looking at a carved wooden door set into stone that had previously been blank. Or had there been a bookshelf in front of it? The carvings looked ancient, graced with the glyphs of old Faerie that it had taken him ages to learn.

His heart started to race, tight with a mixture of dread and excitement. Could the Slaugh have left behind some unpleasant surprise? But how could any of them create something so ancient?

He summoned his chimerical six-shooter and cocked it, approaching the door cautiously, reaching out with his mind to examine the magics. There was some kind of lock enchantment, but it deactivated at the merest brush of his magic, and the door swung open without any other trace of protections.

Perhaps it was meant only for the Lord of the Freehold, Daniel thought, slowly lowering his gun as he stepped inside.

The spirit of the place immediately put him at ease. There was no danger here, no dark glamours. This was someone's inner sanctum, created and hidden away safely by some previous freehold Lord. Half of the room was taken up by a long work table and shelves and shelves of potions and preserves, carefully sealed with spells against the ravages of time. They were neatly labelled in more of the ancient glyphs of faerie, many of which he didn't recognize. He felt a thrill of excitement. No other freehold could possibly have a repository like this, from the time before the Shattering - perhaps even before the Sundering? - he was certain of that. Glamour had been so scarce after the Shattering that fae had used every resource at their disposal to ensure their survival. So much had been lost. 

Perhaps this collection could help them regain a little. His mind went immediately to a few individuals he'd met in his childhood and travels, sidhe and commoner members of his fallen House, and a handful of Nocker allies. There would be many who would promise him favors upon favors to allowed to participate in such a reclamation project. But he'd have to be cautious in who he let in, be certain that they could be trusted.....

The writing desk in the corner was empty, a half-written letter still sitting on its surface, a feather quill standing in the dried-out inkwell. The bookcase beside it held what must have been nearly a hundred volumes, nearly identical, bound in silver and leather dyed the blue of House Liam. There were glyphs embossed into the spines that he recognized as numbers. Curious, he took the first volume from the shelf and settled into the desk chair, setting the letter aside, stroking the book with a soft, polite introduction as he opened it. There was so much life in it that its glyphs, written in the same hand as the letter, practically sang, like it had been waiting years and years to be read again.

"Be patient," Daniel murmured, stroking the leather gently and feeling it vibrate with excitement under his fingers as he summoned a blank notebook and set up a recording spell, and Kherion hopped up onto the desk to watch. "Your language is still new to me. I'll need to record the translation. It may take me some time, but I promise I'll listen to your stories."

~~~

 

"Daniel?"

With a start, Daniel woke from his reverie. How long had he been reading? A dozen notebooks sat stacked beside him, carefully labeled in his own hand, filled with the words he translated aloud. He stopped the recording spell and stretched, feeling his neck pop. He'd barely gotten through the first shelf of records, and he already felt like he'd learned more in one afternoon than almost his entire life. How much more would he learn in the days to come?

"I'm back here!" he called out, standing, body thrumming with energy and excitement. He stepped out of the room, meeting John halfway down the stacks and throwing his arms around his neck, pulling him into an excited kiss.

John gave a surprised, pleased hum against his mouth, wrapping his arms around his waist. His tail stroked Daniel's thigh as they kissed. "Good day, my love?"

"Amazing day. Indescribably so. Have you ever seen this room?"

John's ears perked curiously as he looked past him. "Never. Have you found a secret rabbit hole, my love bunny?"

"Even better. Come see." Daniel caught his hand excitedly, towing him back towards the room. He felt the magic of it shimmer briefly as they crossed the threshold, feeling John out, then accepting him. "I don't think the room has been opened since the creator locked it. I've been slowly making my way through his journals, and they're even older than I originally thought."

John took in the shelves of potions and books with wide eyes. "Who do you think he was?"

"When you were a childling, did you ever hear the fairy tale of the Sidhe and the Troll who defeated the Lou Carcolh?"

John's eyebrows knit together. "The giant snail monster?"

"Exactly. I did some research on the origin of the story in my tutelage under an Eshu storyteller of my house. The figures of the Sidhe and the Troll appear throughout the remnants of House Liam records, our historians refer to them as the Loremaster and his protector. The volumes I've translated so far appear to be an in-depth collection of his stories, more complete than anything I could ever imagine."

"Really? Is it hard to translate?" John bent to pick up the last book from the half-empty bottom shelf.

"Surprisingly not at all. I mean, there's some glyphs that are fairly impossible to translate completely - names of fae and some fae places - but it's easy otherwise. It feels like the books have been waiting to be found, they're so eager to be read."

"Yeah?" John opened the tome, then yelped as it snapped closed on his fingers, dropping it onto the floor. "It bit me!"

"What?" Daniel picked it up, feeling a strange indignance to its energy that quickly turned to pleasure at his touch. Was it dangerous? He stroked it gently as he opened it, finding more glyphs in the same careful handwriting as the earlier volumes. "I don't know why it did that. Come now, be nice to John. He is my Lord and my greatest love. See? He is a friend." He caught John's hand as he spoke, bringing it to rest on the bottom of the leather binding with his own.

The book's pages ruffled slightly, as if in a huff, then settled flat again.

"You really are the book whisperer," John said, pressing a kiss to the side of his jaw. "Tell me what it says?"

"Sure." His eyes scanned the first page. The meanings came easily. " _In the summer of the mortal year 583 anno domini, the Loremaster of House Liam and his protector came to the Duchy of Ferns, under the rule of Duke --_ I'm not sure what that name is, sorry, I'll just call him the Duke _\-- of House Fiona. They traveled with a small band of commoners who had come under the protection of the Loremaster, and loved him dearly, and sought to find a place for themselves in the land of faerie, to carve out the freehold that King Liam had long ago promised him in thanks for his service in killing the --_ I assume these glyphs mean the 'Lou Carcolh', this bit is the same as 'big' and this bit is part of 'snail'. 

_As Loremaster, the Loremaster had sought out a secret, dearly paid for, of a trod that lead to the new world, where some Fae had begun to live to escape the encroaching banality of the human world. Their purpose in the Duchy of Ferns was to earn a boon of the Duke, and gain access to this path. But their plans were secret, knowing that only the greatest of favors would earn the Duke's thanks, and knowing the noble Duke of Fiona too proud to pursue this favor on his own._ "

"I know that glyph," John said suddenly, pointing to the page.

"The name of the Loremaster?"

"Yes. Don't you? It's on a ton of things. It was all over everything I had to learn about as a kitten. It's on your key to the Trod. Father always said it was the signet of the very first Sidhe Lord of Liam who built the freehold and gave it to the Selkies to protect."

Daniel stared up at him, astonished. "Are you certain?"

"Of course. Look at your key, silly bunny."

Daniel took the carved brass ring from his finger, examining it, turning the mechanism to activate it. As the metal pieces clicked into place to form the key, a glyph was indeed revealed. After pouring over the books all afternoon he recognized it instantly.

He clutched at John's sleeve, nearly dropping the book. "Do you know what this means?"

John's ears perked forward. "That these stories are extra exciting now?"

"No. I mean yes, of course they are but - John, this is monumental! The personal library of the Loremaster of House Liam? Perfectly preserved and written in his own hand? I never dreamed that something like this could possibly still exist, you don't understand, I - "

"Sit down, my trembling bunny," John said gently guiding him back into the chair. He dropped to his knees in front of it, taking Daniel's hands in his. "Explain it to me?"

He was trembling, Daniel realized as he set the book aside. He swallowed hard, taking both John's hands in his. "John, I... my house were declared oathbreakers, exiles. Anathema. The court of King Liam was destroyed and we were driven to the winds. Even through the shattering, the high courts of Fiona and Gwydion were maintained by the commoners who claimed them. House Dougal locked their histories in silver-forged safes when they fled to Arcadia, House Eiluned protected their precious secrets with the strongest of spells. But all Liam has is scraps, stories whispered from the lips of travelers and rarely put to paper. Had. _Had_. John, there was so much lost that we might regain in these pages, so much of our history, our identity, our - "

John, smiling, pressed soft kisses to his knuckles. "And you shall have the full resources of our freehold behind you as you recover it all."

" _His_ freehold," Daniel replied, letting out a long breath. The realizations were overwhelming, the glamour of it tingling in every piece of his body. He closed his eyes for a moment to concentrate and bring it in check, funneling the excess away to stoke the Balefire at the center of the freehold that was now tied to him and John both.

"Will you continue the story?" John said when he opened his eyes, still looking up at him raptly. "If it is the story of how this freehold came to be, I would very much like to hear it."

"Of course. As would I." Daniel picked up the tome again, clearing his throat. _As they resided in the court of the Duke, it came to be that the Loremaster's Protector became enamoured of a brave Thane of the Duke --_ Oh, this is very interesting, this is quite unlike him. His name was... ah, something to do with red, and laurels.... _... a Satyr of House Fiona."_

"Unlike him?" John chuckled. "You know these tales so well?"

Daniel felt the tips of his ears heat. "Well - kind of. I've read nearly the whole top shelf. There's mention of the Loremaster's lovers, and that they would often take lovers together, but he's never named a lover of the protector alone, so he must be significant."

"Or something's happened in the middle." John made a motion with his hand towards the other shelves.

"Yes, I suppose that could be the case."

"Well, is there anyone else named?"

Daniel ran his fingers over the pages, searching for unfamiliar glyphs. "Ah... a Lady... a Lady of the Moon? of House Eiluned... yes, the former lover of the Duke who they're working to secretly reunite... oh and here is...." he paused, scanning the page. "Oh...."

"Oh?"

"It's... the writing is very beautiful, let me.... _In the house of the Duke was a Troubadour, with hair as black as night and eyes green like the emerald hills of Hibernia. A trickster by nature, he came to the attention of the Loremaster when he --_ Oh my _\-- when he stole into his rooms in secret one night, to deface the illustrations of one of his books with --_ John, he drew dicks in his book!"

John tried to bite back a laugh, failing and snorting. "Sounds like a Pooka."

"Undoubtedly, but the poor book! Let me see what.... _Despite the offense, the Loremaster recognized the value of such a man as his ally, as well as the... affection the trickster had for him, for the defaced book was to be shared with the Duke, who had expressed a great desire for the Loremaster himself. And the trickster's name was...._ something to do with beloved and... cats, or felines... _and he came to be greatly loved by the Loremaster, more than he had ever loved another._ "

John's tail twitched against the floor as he looked up at him, a strange glint in his eyes. "What a beautiful party. A Sidhe, a Pooka, a Satyr and a Troll."

Daniel laughed, reaching out to stroke his fingers through his hair affectionately. "Perhaps not so scandalous as people think."

"Perhaps," John replied, still smiling a little strangely. He rose up off his knees, leaning down to kiss him. "Come, my golden bunny. Dinner awaits. Let's go tell Ben and Larry what we've found."

Daniel felt another thrill of excitement at the thought of it, standing and taking his hand. "Yes. Lets."

As they left the room, the legacy of Daniel of Liam ruffled their pages like a long exhalation of breath, content to have found their creator and purpose once more.

~~~~

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [A Hymn to Dionysus](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5992942) by [Bonnie131313](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bonnie131313/pseuds/Bonnie131313)
  * [Cortigiana-onesta](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5995780) by [Bonnie131313](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bonnie131313/pseuds/Bonnie131313)




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